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Pentax

K-3 Mark III

APS-C DSLR flagship with optical viewfinder and weather sealing.

$1,999

Released Apr 2021

vs

Sigma

fp L

World's smallest full-frame interchangeable camera with 61MP and L-mount.

$2,499

Released Jul 2021

fp L is 2 months newer.

Wins

8categories

K-3 Mark III

WildlifeTravel

Wins

2categories

fp L

LandscapePortrait

8 categories tied

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TL;DR — Key differences

K-3 Mark III wins 4 categories·fp L wins 1 categories
  • Bfp L has higher Resolution (61 MP vs 25.7 MP)
  • AK-3 Mark III has higher AF points / zones (101 vs 49)
  • AK-3 Mark III has higher RAW buffer depth (120 frames vs 60 frames)
  • AK-3 Mark III has higher EVF resolution (3,690,000 vs 2,360,000)
  • AK-3 Mark III has lower Weight (520 g vs 720 g)

Key specs at a glance

K-3 Mark IIIfp L
Resolution25.7 MP61 MP
SensorAPS-CFull Frame
ISO max25,60025,600
Burst20 fps15 fps
4K60 fps60 fps
IBIS7-stop6-stop
Weight520 g720 g
Battery640 shots640 shots

Size and weight, to scale

K-3 Mark III

138 × 98 × 88 mm

520 g (1.15 lb / 18.34 oz)

fp L

138 × 98 × 88 mm

720 g (1.59 lb / 25.40 oz)

K-3 Mark III and fp L share virtually identical body dimensions.

K-3 Mark III is 200 g lighter than fp L.

Depth (front-to-back): 88mm K-3 Mark III · 88mm fp L

Sensor size, to scale

K-3 Mark III

23.5 × 15.6 mm · APS-C

367 mm² area

fp L

36 × 24 mm · Full Frame

864 mm² area

2.4× larger sensor area = shallower depth of field and better low-light performance.

Lens ecosystem

Native lens selection

K-3 Mark III

✓ more lenses

Pentax K

70+

native lenses available

30 first-party40 third-party

fp L: mount data unavailable

Counts include current first-party and major third-party native autofocus lenses.

Use-case scoring

Which one for what?

Algorithmic scores from verified specs · 10 = best in class

Use caseK-3 Mark IIIfp L
Portrait
6.5Good
8.5Excellent✓ wins
Sports & Action
6.0Good
6.0Good
Video & Hybrid
6.0Good
6.0Good
Landscape
5.0Fair
9.0Excellent✓ wins
Travel
8.5Excellent✓ wins
6.5Good
Wildlife
10.0Excellent✓ wins
8.0Excellent
Vlogging
7.0Good✓ wins
5.5Fair

Why pick one over the other

Reasons to choose

K-3 Mark III

  • AF points / zones

    101 vs 49 — higher is better

  • RAW buffer depth

    120 frames vs 60 frames — higher is better

  • EVF resolution

    3,690,000 vs 2,360,000 — higher is better

  • Weight

    520 g vs 720 g — lower is better

  • Burst (mechanical)

    8 fps vs 6 fps — higher is better

  • Burst (electronic)

    20 fps vs 15 fps — higher is better

  • IBIS effectiveness

    7 stops vs 6 stops — higher is better

  • AF frame coverage

    100 % vs 90 % — higher is better

Reasons to choose

fp L

  • AF low-light limit

    -5 EV vs -3 EV — lower is better

  • Resolution

    61 MP vs 25.7 MP — higher is better

  • AA filter

    Only fp L supports it

Both cameras share

  • ISO min (native)Both 100
  • ISO max (native)Both 25,600
  • Eye AFBoth support eye af
  • Animal / bird AFBoth support animal / bird af
  • Pre-Capture / Pre-ReleaseBoth support pre-capture / pre-release
  • 4K max frame rateBoth 60 fps

Pros & cons at a glance

Editorially curated highlights and trade-offs.

K-3 Mark III

Pros

  • Optical viewfinder
  • Weather sealed
  • IBIS in DSLR

Cons

  • DSLR system declining
  • APS-C
  • Limited video

fp L

Pros

  • Tiny full-frame
  • 61MP
  • L-mount
  • Unique industrial design

Cons

  • No IBIS
  • Small battery
  • Minimal ergonomics

Full specifications

= category winner

K-3 Mark III
fp L
Resolution
25.7 MP
61 MP2.4× more
Sensor type
APS-C CMOS
Full Frame CMOS
Sensor size
23.5 × 15.6 mm
36.0 × 24.0 mm
AA filter
No
Yes
K-3 Mark III
fp L
AF system
SAFOX 12
Phase-detect AF
AF points / zones
1012.1× more
49
AF frame coverage
100 %+11%
90 %
AF low-light limit
-3 EV
-5 EV
Eye AF
Yes
Yes
Animal / bird AF
Yes
Yes
Subject recognition
Human, Animal, Bird, Vehicle
Human, Animal, Bird, Vehicle
K-3 Mark III
fp L
Burst (mechanical)
8 fps+33%
6 fps
Burst (electronic)
20 fps+33%
15 fps
Pre-Capture / Pre-Release
Yes
Yes
RAW buffer depth
120 frames2× more
60 frames
K-3 Mark III
fp L
Max resolution
4K UHD
4K UHD
4K max frame rate
60 fps
60 fps
Max video bit rate
150 Mbps
150 Mbps
Internal RAW video
No
No
Log profile
Standard profiles
Standard profiles
Codecs
H.265, H.264
H.265, H.264
K-3 Mark III
fp L
Weight
520 g−200 g less
720 g
Dimensions (W×H×D mm)
138 × 98 × 88 mm
138 × 98 × 88 mm
Weather sealing
Yes
Yes

Frequently asked

Quick answers generated from verified specs.

Which is better for landscape, K-3 Mark III or fp L?

fp L scores 9.0/10 versus 5.0/10 for K-3 Mark III — 61MP — massive detail for large prints.

What's the resolution difference between the K-3 Mark III and fp L?

K-3 Mark III is 25.7 MP and fp L is 61 MP, so the fp L captures more detail for cropping and large prints.

Do the K-3 Mark III and fp L have in-body image stabilization?

K-3 Mark III has 7-stop in-body image stabilization, while fp L has 6-stop in-body image stabilization.

Which shoots faster bursts — the K-3 Mark III or the fp L?

K-3 Mark III reaches 20 fps electronic. fp L reaches 15 fps electronic.

What's the weight difference between the K-3 Mark III and fp L?

K-3 Mark III weighs 520 g and fp L weighs 720 g, so the K-3 Mark III is 200 g lighter.

Do the K-3 Mark III and fp L record 4K video?

K-3 Mark III: 4K up to 60p. fp L: 4K up to 60p.

Are the K-3 Mark III and fp L weather sealed?

K-3 Mark III: Yes. fp L: Yes.

Which has better battery life?

Rated battery life is 640 shots (CIPA) for the K-3 Mark III and 640 shots for the fp L, giving the fp L the edge.

How much does each cost?

K-3 Mark III launched at $1,999 and fp L at $2,499. The K-3 Mark III is $500 less.

Specs sourced from manufacturer data. Use-case scores algorithmically derived. Last reviewed May 2026.